FORCECOM Training Division Chief
Captain Mary Brooks
Chief, FORCECOM Training Division
United States Coast Guard
Captain Mary Brooks currently serves as the Chief of Training of the Coast Guard Force Readiness Command in Washington, DC. In this role, she oversees worldwide training and education for the U.S. Coast Guard.
In Captain Brooks' previous assignment, she served as Supervisor, Afloat Training Organization San Diego. In this capacity, she oversaw a team of 24 cuttermen to complete training and assessments on all cutters under the Pacific Area Commander Area of Responsibility. She was also a member of the Modernized Cutter Readiness and Training Integrated Performance Team, and lead the National Security Cutter (NSC) working group to identity training gaps and identify modernized training solutions to support the NSC missions.
Captain Brooks is a Coast Guard permanent cutterman and has served in four Coast Guard Cutters, most recently as the Executive Officer of Coast Guard Cutter Waesche, in Alameda, CA from 2020-2022. Additionally, she served as Executive Officer of Coast Guard Cutter Eagle, in Baltimore, MD from 2015-2017, Executive Officer of Coast Guard Cutter Cypress in Mobile, Alabama from 2008-2010, and as the Damage Control Assistant of Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane in Portsmouth, VA from 2003-2005.
Other assignments ashore include Special Assignments Officer at CG Personnel Service Center, Instruction and Design Officer and Instructional Systems Branch Chief at Recruit Training Center Cape May, and Type Desk Manager at Maintenance and Logistics Command Atlantic.
Originally from Severna Park, MD, Captain Brooks is a 2003 graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. She also holds a Master of Science degree in Human Performance Technology from Florida State University. Additionally, she is a 200-hr certified yoga instructor and is working towards her 300-hr yoga instructor certification.
She is married to Edwin Lightner from Pasadena, MD.